FINALLY a finish!!!!

Here's my first finish in 2 months!!!!  A tea cozy that is crazy quilted and embellished to the nines.

What kind of rainbow are you?

Your Rainbow

Your rainbow is strongly shaded green.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is says about you: You are an intelligent person. You feel strong ties to nature and your mood changes with its cycles. Those around you admire your fresh outlook and vitality.

Find the colors of your rainbow at spacefem.com.

I thought this was kind of fun and interesting and of course it is sooooooo accurate about me, no really, it is, really!

Scott and Amber moments after getting engaged!

I've a new full time job working for the provincial government that I started on June 1st.  So far I'm really liking it and the people I work with.  Everyone's been helpful and fun and very encouraging.  So nice to be able to say that.  The office is new (only 2 or 3 years old) so a huge change from the other places I've worked.  Just think air conditioning!!! My commute is about half an hour each way, but the drive is pleasant and the highway is in good shape....and I do get to see some beautiful scenery along the way.  And since I'm working in downtown Nanaimo I get to make some interesting discoveries on my lunch time walks....like a bead and embroidery shop just across the bridge, and the little wool shop around the corner.  Also the ocean is visible from the office windows as we're only about 3 blocks from the water.

I'm using the new job and the gardening work as my excuse for not having any finishes this month.  I am however still working on my crazy quilt tea cozy, and on my crazy quilt block for the round robin I'm in.....here's a hint ladies - my theme is "Sea to Shore".

Also!!!!!!!  My eldest son Scott brought his girlfriend Amber to the Island for a visit and we all went out to Long Beach on the west coast where he asked her to marry her - and she said YES!!!!!  We're so happy that Amber is going to be family.

While Amber and Scott were visiting, my other 2 boys Eric and Glen showed up to go fishing and for the first time in 2 years all of us were together.  I tried getting a picture of them together, and spent about 20 minutes with us all laughing hysterically while Eric, then Glen, then Scott kept cracking us up with their antics.....oh my sides hurt from all that laughter!  Eric's the one in the overalls, cap and "play off beard", Scott's the one in the middle and Glen's on the right.

How does my garden grow? With the few warmer days we've had in the last week or two I have flowers popping open all over - lady's mantle, foxglove, circle flower, roses, daylillies, pansies, peonies, allium, iris, periwinkle and so much more putting on a show.

Fairies dancing in the circle flowers and floxgloves with lavender in bud in front.

My birdbath garden area.  Lots of buds, not many blooms yet.

My stogie old fashioned coumbine (still my favourite).

My new fangled designer columbine with hostas.

Giant alliums in front of the pond garden.

These pea flowers are actually on my green pea vegetable plants.  Pretty enough to be ornamental!

Front garden iris and daylillies

Columbine, lady's mantle, daylily and the dark red thing.  (Hey, I can't remember everything!)

My peonies putting on a show in front of the picket fence with a field full of wild daisies behind.

My little water feature at the front porch

Water lily

Quilt Guild Challenge

My husband and I travelled up to Cumberland a couple of weeks ago to view the Schoolhouse Quilt Guild's quilt show.  Imagine my surprise when I read the blurb on a very pretty little green quilt that had caught my eye and I realized it was a Challenge Quilt I had made up the instructions for last fall for a Challenge in my guild, Parksville Quilthouse Quilters.  Here's a picture of the quilt and the instructions.  Don't you think this lady did an awesome job!  I know that I was very impressed.

One Day Left

I have one day left before starting my new job - hopefully they remember I'm coming and I won't be locked out again, like I was the morning I went for my interview.  I am really looking forward to working again, although I will miss the laziness of not working......I do seem to need structure in my life in order to get things done.

I am about to embark on a Crazy Quilt Round Robin with 5 other wonderful friends and my mind is just churning away with the possibilities and what to design and how to make it work and, and, and.....  And to give me a jump start yesterday my buddy Janet and a made a trip to Victoria for beads, buttons, interesting wools and cottons - all in preparation for the round robin.  A button shop, 2 bead shops, a quilt shop, a kitchen store (we also cook ;>D) and a tasty lunch at the Noodle Box Cafe made for a fantastic day and a lot of fun.  We are still trying to decide if every time we receive a round robin parcel means another trip to those shops or not.....oh twist my rubber arm - OF COURSE IT DOES!!!!

A Faithful Friend free BOM

Link address to use is:
http://www.stitchingcow.com/patterns/173/Free+Block+of+the+Month+Quilt+Pattern

What a journey to get back here!

I have been blocked from getting back on my blog for days now - ever since Google was spammed a couple of weeks ago.  HARRUMPH!!!!!

Meanwhile I have finished my 1930's Dresden Plate Irish Chain Quilt - and I think it looks awesome, cute, fresh and calming (some of the feedback I've received from those that have seen it).

I have also sewn up 4 reversable vest bibs for babies here and upcoming.  They have got to be the swankiest little bibs ever!  If you look close at the first one on the left you'll see it's a herd of little pigs - how appropriate don't you think!

Oh, yes, and another significant event has finally occurred - I now have a good job after months of sending out resumes and applications.  I think job hunting has to be one of the most depressing occupations you can do, especially right now where there are so few jobs and so many applicants.  I start on Wednesday next week and am really looking forward to it.

Toby - handsome as ever ;>D